Clarke County, Virginia: commercial real estate data.
Clarke County, Virginia had an estimated 15,598 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,788, across 176 square miles. County output reached $611.6 m in 2024, 377 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 9 7(a) approvals worth $6.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Clarke County
How many people live in Clarke County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202415,216
- Households5,890
- Average household size2.58
- Median household income$117,111
- Median age48.4
- Median gross rent$1,371 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$550,100
- Home value to household income4.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher39.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree15.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over11,200
- Population under 182,982
- Share under 1819.6 percent
- Population 65 and over3,503
- Share 65 and over23.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 648,731
- Civilian labor force7,528
- Unemployment rate2.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.5 percent
- Rank by population among Virginia counties98th of 133
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2149th of 3,222
Clarke County is the 98th largest of 133 Virginia counties by population. A median home costs 4.7 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.0 percent against 19.6 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Clarke County
Is Clarke County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202415,598
- Census 2020 base population14,788
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.48 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024193
- Births, 2024139
- Deaths, 2024195
- Natural change, 2024-56
- Net domestic migration, 2024243
- Net international migration, 202410
- Total net migration, 2024253
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024975
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents475th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.48 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Clarke County
Where are people moving to Clarke County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving668
- People arriving, from those returns1,224
- Tax returns filed by households leaving489
- Net household movement179
- Adjusted gross income arriving$79.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$38.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$119,636
- Average income of a leaving household$83,951
- Largest single originLoudoun County (224 households)
- Largest single destinationFrederick County (102 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loudoun County | 224 | 432 | $21.3 m |
| Frederick County | 84 | 170 | $5.9 m |
| Fairfax County | 55 | 102 | $6.1 m |
| Winchester city | 34 | 65 | $2.3 m |
Households arriving report $35,685 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Loudoun County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Clarke County
What is the Clarke County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$611.6 m
- County GDP, 2023$583.1 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.9 percent
- GDP change over five years32.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Virginia areas BEA publishes81st of 105
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2259th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$40,193
Output grew 4.9 percent in the latest year and 32.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Clarke County
Employment by industry in Clarke County
- Covered employment, annual average3,883
- Establishments reporting492
- Average annual pay$55,137
- Average weekly wage$1,060
- Manufacturing, employment593
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$54,854
- Construction, employment356
- Construction, average annual pay$65,616
- Retail trade, employment324
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,223
- Health care and social assistance, employment323
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$43,584
- Educational services, employment276
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment270
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 593 | 18 | $54,854 |
| Construction | 356 | 67 | $65,616 |
| Retail trade | 324 | 37 | $31,223 |
| Health care and social assistance | 323 | 48 | $43,584 |
| Educational services | 276 | 7 | $53,901 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 270 | 82 | $112,431 |
| Accommodation and food services | 255 | 23 | $24,721 |
| Other services, except public administration | 128 | 47 | $58,978 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 593 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Clarke County
How many businesses are in Clarke County?
- Establishments, all industries377
- Employment at those establishments3,106
- Annual payroll$143.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Clarke County
Building permits in Clarke County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202415
- Declared construction value permitted$5.8 m
- Single family units authorized15
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$389,093
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.5
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Clarke County
SBA loans in Clarke County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded9
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$707,000
- Median 7(a) approval$500,000
- Largest single approval$2,823,500
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)70
- Jobs per approval7.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active4
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer22.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter7
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countSite Preparation Contractors (3)
- Most active lenderBank of Clarke (6)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.2 m
- Average 504 approval$645,400
- Median 504 approval$298,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval22.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved34.7
- Most active CDCBusiness Finance Group, Inc. (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$9.6 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Clarke County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Clarke County
Do SBA loans in Clarke County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full1
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Charged off1
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Clarke County
SBA lending by place in Clarke County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Berryville, approvals7
- Front Royal, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Berryville | 7 | $5,603,500 |
| Front Royal | 2 | $759,500 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Clarke County
How large is Clarke County?
- Land area176 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Virginia counties91st of 133
- Width, east to west17.4 mi
- Height, north to south19.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land86
- Establishments per square mile2.14
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Clarke County
Flood risk in Clarke County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Clarke County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 510036
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Clarke County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Clarke County (community 510036), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Clarke County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Clarke County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Clarke County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202415,216
- Households5,890
- Average household size2.58
- Median household income$117,111
- Median age48.4
Common questions
Clarke County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Clarke County, Virginia?
The Census Bureau estimates 15,598 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 15,216, in 5,890 households, ranking 98th of 133 Virginia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Clarke County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.48 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,788, to 15,598 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 139 births against 195 deaths, with net migration of 253. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Clarke County?
$117,111. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $550,100, which is 4.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,371 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Clarke County?
377 establishments, employing 3,106 people with an annual payroll of $143.1 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Clarke County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 593 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,883 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,137, or $1,060 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Clarke County?
9 7(a) approvals totaling $6.4 m since FY2020, across 4 lenders, with a median approval of $500,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $3.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Clarke County?
15 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $5.8 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Clarke County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Clarke County come from?
The largest single origin is Loudoun County, with 224 households. Arriving households report an average income of $119,636 against $83,951 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Clarke County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Clarke County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Clarke County
Cities and places in Clarke.
3 Census places lie wholly or partly in Clarke County. All 3 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berryville | town | 4,707 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Boyce | town | 891 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shenandoah Retreat | CDP | 592 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 9 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Clarke County, the largest being Front Royal (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby